Language/Romanian/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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Romanian → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Numbers and Time → Telling Time

Introduction

In this lesson, we will delve into the topic of telling time in Romanian. Being able to tell time is an essential skill in any language and can be particularly useful when traveling or making plans. In Romanian, the system for telling time follows a similar structure to that of other Romance languages. We will explore how to express both the hours and minutes, and provide numerous examples to help you grasp this concept.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently read and express time in Romanian, allowing you to effectively communicate and understand schedules, appointments, and daily routines. So let's get started!

The Basics of Telling Time

Expressing the Hours

In Romanian, the 12-hour clock system is used to tell time. To express the hours, we use the word "ora" (hour) followed by the number. Here are the numbers from 1 to 12 in Romanian:

Romanian	Pronunciation	English Translation
un	oon	one
doi	doy	two
trei	tray	three
patru	pahtroo	four
cinci	cheench	five
șase	shahse	six
șapte	shahpthe	seven
opt	opt	eight
nouă	nooah	nine
zece	zekay	ten
unsprezece	oonsprezechay	eleven
doisprezece	doyisprezechay	twelve

To express a specific hour, we simply add the corresponding number after "ora". For example:

- "Ora unu" means "one o'clock". - "Ora cinci" means "five o'clock". - "Ora zece" means "ten o'clock".

Expressing the Minutes

To express the minutes, we use the word "și" (and) followed by the number. Here are the numbers from 1 to 59 in Romanian:

Romanian	Pronunciation	English Translation
unu	oonoo	one
doi	doy	two
trei	tray	three
patru	pahtroo	four
cinci	cheench	five
șase	shahse	six
șapte	shahpthe	seven
opt	opt	eight
nouă	nooah	nine
zece	zekay	ten
unsprezece	oonsprezechay	eleven
doisprezece	doyisprezechay	twelve
treisprezece	traysprezechay	thirteen
paisprezece	paeesprezechay	fourteen
cincisprezece	cheenchisprezechay	fifteen
șaisprezece	shahisprezechay	sixteen
șaptesprezece	shahptesprezechay	seventeen
optsprezece	optsprezechay	eighteen
nouăsprezece	nooahsprezechay	nineteen
douăzeci	dooahzetch	twenty
douăzeci și unu	dooahzetch she oonoo	twenty-one
douăzeci și doi	dooahzetch she doy	twenty-two
douăzeci și trei	dooahzetch she tray	twenty-three
treizeci	trayzetch	thirty
patruzeci	pahtroozetch	forty
cincizeci	cheenchizetch	fifty
șaizeci	shahizetch	sixty
șaptezeci	shahptezetch	seventy
optzeci	optzetch	eighty
nouăzeci	nooahzetch	ninety
o sută	o soota	one hundred

To express a specific minute, we simply add the corresponding number after "și". For example:

- "Ora unu și zece" means "one ten" or "ten past one". - "Ora cinci și douăzeci" means "five twenty" or "twenty past five". - "Ora zece și cinci" means "ten five" or "five past ten".

It's important to note that when expressing the hour and minute together, we use the word "și" (and) between them. For example:

- "Ora patru și cinci" means "four five" or "five past four". - "Ora unsprezece și treizeci" means "eleven thirty" or "half past eleven".

Expressing "Minutes to" and "Minutes past"

In Romanian, we can also express time using the phrases "la" (to) and "și" (past). These phrases are used to indicate the minutes before or after the hour. Let's see some examples:

- "Ora unu la zece" means "ten to one" or "fifty minutes past twelve". - "Ora cinci și douăzeci și cinci" means "twenty-five past five" or "five twenty-five". - "Ora zece și cinci la unsprezece" means "five to eleven" or "fifty-five minutes past ten".

These phrases can be used interchangeably with the previous examples, depending on personal preference or regional variations.

Cultural Insights

As with any language, cultural insights can provide a deeper understanding and appreciation for the topic at hand. In Romanian culture, punctuality is highly valued. It is considered polite and respectful to arrive on time for appointments and meetings. Being able to tell time accurately and express it correctly in Romanian will help you navigate social and professional situations with ease.

Romania also observes Daylight Saving Time, known as "Ora de vară" (Summer Time) and "Ora de iarnă" (Winter Time). The clocks are adjusted forward by one hour in the summer and back by one hour in the winter. This practice is in line with many other countries around the world and is designed to optimize daylight hours.

Practice Exercises

Now it's time to put your knowledge into practice! Complete the following exercises to reinforce what you have learned.

Exercise 1: Translate the following times from English to Romanian:

1. Ten o'clock 2. Four thirty 3. Twenty-five past two 4. Five to eight 5. Half past twelve

Solution: 1. Ora zece 2. Ora patru și treizeci 3. Ora două și douăzeci și cinci 4. Ora opt și cinci 5. Ora doisprezece și jumătate

Exercise 2: Translate the following times from Romanian to English:

1. Ora unsprezece și zece 2. Ora șapte și treizeci 3. Ora cinci și douăzeci 4. Ora două și cincizeci 5. Ora opt la șase

Solution: 1. Eleven ten 2. Seven thirty 3. Five twenty 4. Two fifty 5. Eight to six

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully completed the lesson on telling time in Romanian. By now, you should feel confident in expressing the hours and minutes, as well as understanding various time expressions. Remember, practice makes perfect, so continue to reinforce your knowledge by using the language in real-life situations.

In the next lesson, we will explore the topic of adjectives and adverbs in Romanian. This will allow you to describe people, places, and things, and express intensity and manner. Stay motivated and keep up the great work!

Table of Contents - Romanian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verbs

• Personal Pronouns
• Present Tense of Verbs

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Basic Adjectives
• Basic Adverbs

  ---

Family and Friends

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Basic Prepositions
• Basic Conjunctions

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Common Foods
• Common Drinks

  ---

Questions and Negations

• Forming Questions
• Negation

  ---

Locations and Directions

• Common Locations
• Giving Directions

  ---

Plurals and Articles

• Plural Nouns
• Definite and Indefinite Articles

  ---

Hobbies and Activities

• Common Hobbies
• Describing Activities

  ---

Romanian Culture and Traditions

• Romanian Holidays
• Romanian Cuisine

  ---

Imperatives and Requests

• Imperative Form
• Polite Requests

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Vocabulary

  ---

Romanian Geography and History

• Geography of Romania
• Romanian History

Sources

• Telling Time in Romanian - Everything You Need to Know
• How to say the 12 months in Romanian
• Basic Romanian Sentence Patterns You Can Use Right Away

Other Lessons

• How to say Good Bye?
• Useful Phrases
• Verbs in Romanian
• Health and Medical Terms
• Count from 1 to 10
• Fruits
• Common Locations
• Numbers 1 10
• Common Foods
• Animals

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